Pudding and Chopsticks

Sorry Apple. I got my gestures back. I used Redsn0w to perform a jailbreak type thing to get them back.

So anyway.. I’m back to being a happy camper.

Read why I was pissed here

A few months back I updated my iPad and did some developer things to enable multitouch gestures. Four and five finger swipes that are just awesome. In fact I really can’t live without them. Then I waited for iOS 5 to come out and give official support for them. But the it happened. iOS 5 only supports gestures on the iPad 2. Are you effing kidding me. From what I have read they claim it is because it is a hardware issue. They run slow or slow things down. Uh, yeah no. They have worked awesomely. I had no problems what so ever. I call BS. I say that it’s because they want people to buy a iPad 2 to get the features. So, uh, I’m going to have to hack, jailbreak, and or do something else that they don’t want me to do.

It’s easy. If you don’t want me to mod my iPad them give me the features that I want. I’m not some super nerd that wants my iPad to start my car. I’m an advanced user that has realistic ideas about what it should do. And it should do what it’s been doing. So.. yeah. We’ll see what I can make happen. If I can’t do it I’m throwing it in the river across the street. Without the gestures it’s useless.

I didn’t know that Apple made lighters. Wow, that’s awesome.

First let me say, yes, I have an iPad. I just got it about a week ago. Don’t think that I that I am that person with all the latest gadgets because I have more money than I know what to do with. China has it’s fair share of those. China probably has more than its fair share. I got the iPad for work, and play, but mostly for work. And let me tell you that it has turned out better than have imagined, it’s basically built for exactly what I do.

When I am in the factory I have to look at PDFs of designs, drawings, orders, etc. I for one don’t like to lug around a computer, nor a massive stack of papers. But with the iPad, I don’t have to. Every single thing that I need is with me at all times. It’s amazing.

I got a dictionary that has handwriting input, radical input, and pinying input. I got the ability to edit excel docs, view PDFs, and photos. I can play games, look at the Internet, and even edit photos. I can take photos with my phone and send them to the iPad, I can email all of the above. Really it replaces my commuter for everything but actual designing and heavy computing. Freedom at last.

Right this moment I am typing on Ia writer. Which is a beautiful writing app. I can listen to my music or Pandora radio. I can play two player games one it or over Bluetooth. Really this is what my mom and dad should both have. It will for the most part never slow down, get a virus, or crash like stupid pcs do. It’s hands on and intuitive. You can Skype on it, watch movies and everything else they want to do. No mouse, long battery life and Internet. My mother lives in the sticks and can’t get anything but dialup for Internet. Not really the best of the web you could say. But I could get her one of these and a prepaid at&t sim card and she could finally actually read this blog.

I’m thinking about it. At least it would give her something to do.

Anyway, time to actually write about something that maybe someone actually cares about besides me

So I have recently bought an Ipad. I haven’t received it yet. I had an someone help me and purchase it in Taiwan. Why would I do such a thing you might ask, well, it’s simple. China can not be trusted sometimes.

It was a hard decision. I wanted to get the latest greatest and get the newly released Ipad 2. However with not living in America acquiring one can be somewhat of a cumbersome task. I could of ordered one online, and had it shipped to my Dad who would of undoubtedly opened it and declare it his. That was basically the only option. Ship it to someone and wait for them to come over and bring it. 2-3 months, maybe more maybe less. But I wanted one now. I am now in a new position at work where I need to use Excel, read Pdfs, and do an whole bunch of junk. I have to do this in a massive building. I don’t always want to carry a bunch of papers with me when I wonder around to check the status of something. I also need the internet on the go for trouble shooting and fixing problems that come up. My phone doesn’t have internet yet. I’m working on getting an Iphone 4 soon. But in the meantime I thought that a 3G Ipad would be the bee’s knees.

So off I went to do some research on one. What I found what rather troubling. In China you technically can’t sell a legit Ipad 3G. The only Ipads that are approved to sell here are the Wi-Fi version. Those you can find easy. Apple stores and other resellers. But what you can’t find is a 3G version. If you do they are from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, New Zealand, America. Even if you do find one they will probably switch the box or something. A Hong Kong version has a warranty that is valid in China so there is a high demand for that one in particular.

I read a story about a person who went to get one. He asked for a Hong Kong version. They brought a American version. Then one from New Zealand, then Hong Kong but it was opened. He gave up. So I took that advice and just had someone buy one in Taiwan. It will be a 32gb 3G Ipad, unopened, legit and fully awesome. Not grey market, not fake, just plain goodness. It may not have a warranty valid here in China but I’m not worried. The chances of something going wrong is slim. But if something were to happen, my friend goes to Taiwan often. So it will not be a big deal.

Angry Birds, I got you number… Watch your tail feathers.

Lately I have been noticing that my beloved Macbook Pro has been creeping along. For daily tasks it’s fine. But when I get into something design wise, Photoshop, Illustrator, have a ton windows open it just likes to creep along and push my button. Yes I have a button that it something doesn’t happen immediately I explode. Anyhow enter the new Macbook Pros released this week.

They are awesome and expensive. I wasn’t thinking they were going to be that much but hey it’s Apple and well, I love the computer so I am going to have to pony up. Although I am going to admit I am disappointed. Why? Well I was hoping for a design refresh. The insides are all good, but I was hoping for something lighter, smaller and different. Mainly because I want to stand out at the local coffee shop. For that and for something new. I’ll be honest. But all and all, they are three times faster than my current Mac. I mean really, if I can’t be happy with that I’m stupid.

So probably this summer I’ll dive in. If not I’ll wait until the next ones come out, then the next ones, and the next ones until I have a perfect Mac and have aged 50 years.

Anywho.

I’m here in the States but that doesn’t mean that I’m not keeping abreast on the latest happenings over yonder.

I would like to get an Iphone 4 but it’s ungodly difficult to do. Unless I pay a butt load on the black market. Recently China released the Iphone 4 through China Unicom. It’s a good deal. 2 yrs a nationwide number, and if you stay there the two years basically the phone is free. If you bail early you bought the phone for full price. Which is what you have to do if you don’t have China Unicom for phone service. I see it as phone service for 2 years for free. Anyway they have had so many people want to sign up and do this that they don’t have any phones left. Really? I can’t even get an Iphone through the legal channels.

If you want to buy the phone though one of four Apple stores in China good luck. It seems that scalpers have bought 30-40 at a time and are slinging them outside the store for 10% more than you can buy them in the store. Which wouldn’t work if THE STORE WEREN’T SOLD OUT. The scalpers bought them all and not the only way to get a new one is through them.

Apple has since fixed the problem and now requires ID to purchase one phone. But really, who didn’t see this coming.

Links to the stories.

Gizmodo

MIC Gadget

Capitalism Fail.

My current phone is a Nokia E71. It’s actually a pretty cool phone. It just lacks a cool UI and programs/applications. Thusly I am going to buy the new Iphone 4 when is comes out in Hong Kong. To the tune of 600USD.

It’s so expensive because it’s unlocked. All phones in China are because you can switch companies, get new numbers, and do pretty much whatever you want whenever you want. Which is awesome. What a specific number, ok, a new number, ok, only want to pay so much money per money, that’s ok too.

I have an Apple guy. He takes care of all the foreigners in the old city I lived in. He is priced fair, gives better service then the Apple stores in the States, and will do whatever you ask within reason.  I have to wait for the phone to come out in Hong Kong and then for him to “smuggle” some across to China. Maybe he doesn’t even have to do that. I mean the factory that makes the Iphone is only an hour away. He might have a connection there. But in any case it’s going to be probably another month. I got to keep it fresh with the bling you know. Haha.

Speaking of keeping it fresh. I need to get new number. I saw one that was something like 158088088008 or something. Chinese love 8′s. This bad boy was 90USD. 600 yuan or so. About 1/4 to 1/2 a workers wage per month. Maybe I’ll snatch it up. Surely it will give me instant face among the ladies. Yeah my number is ling ba ba ling ba ba ling ba ba ba haha. Love it.